Mechanical pencil



Feb. l, 1944. D. P. JAcoB 2,340,565

MECHANICAL PENCIL Filed Oct, l5, 1942 2 Shee's-Sheet 1 34 *-5 2z J5 65741 J6 45 16 1 9 7285053521522 38 54014,2/ ,51/ 1,0 1,557 .81 123.41 24252625 l' 21 12 '4o W 1575 235222 Iglu 'f7l 53845 16 15 17 13 L" F J5 J4 o 77 Z8 29 2 15 76 59 20 wue/wbo Poyle 17. .jacobs ///////14 g5 Jfsadamf @www Feb. 1, 1944. D P JACOBS 2,340,665

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R310 wai/ 31u/vanto@ yle I). Jacoba' Patented Feb. l, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE MECHANICAL PENon. Doyle P. Jacobs, Grana Rapids, Mich. Application orafi-ber 15, 1942, serial No. 462,447

` (ci. 12o-|17) The present invention relates toy mechanical pencils, and more particularly to pencils having manually operable mechanisms for advancing the leads therein to writing position.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide such a mechanical pencil having a tubular body adapted to contain a supply of leads, and a writing tip associated with said body for receiving and advancing the leads to writing position; to provide such a pencil having a manually operable control mechanism for advancing the leads including a button or lever so positioned in the writing tip of the pencil that it may be oper ated with the index finger when the pencil is held in writing position, thus facilitating advancement of the lead as it is consumed while writing; to provide such a control mechanism which is especially well adapted for use with thin leads which give a fine line of writing; to provide such a control mechanism which, when too much pressure is applied while Writing, will permit a slight inward movement of the lead thus to prevent wasteful breakage of lead; to provide such a mechanical pencil having means whereby the lead is slightly rotated during advancement thereof to insure even Wear on the point of the lead; and in general to provide such a mechanical pencil which is economical in manufacture, efficient in use, and attractive in appearance.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pencil constructed according to the present invention and being held in writing position;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the pencil per se;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the same shown partly in section taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional viewof certain parts thereof taken on line 5 5 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view thereof taken on line 6 6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a sectional View similar to Figure 4 but showing certain parts of the pencil in different positions;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, similar to Figure 4, of a modified form of control mechanism, certain inner parts thereof being shown in side elevation;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional viewof said modification taken on line 9 9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a sectional view similar to Figure 9 but showing certain parts of the modified control mechanism in different positions; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of another modification of the invention.

Referring now in detail to these drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals in the several views, and referring first particularly to Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, the mechanical -pencil 'therein illustrated generally comprises a tubular barrel or body I0 having a conventional pocket clip II thereon, a cap I2 detachably screw-threaded onto one end of said body I0, and a writing tip I3 screw-threaded into the other end of said body I0. Theecap I2 may be of different formation and provided with a conventional eraser (not shown), and said cap may be removed from the tubular body I0 of the pencil for the purpose of inserting a supply of thin leads I4 into said body. The body I0 may if desired conveniently be made of a transparent plastic material so that the quantity of leads lzierein may be seen without removing the cap A guide member generally designated I5 has an annular 4portion I6 threaded into the writing tip I3, an enlarged middle portion I1 interposed between the inner end of the writing tip I3 and a shoulder I8 in the body lll, and an internally conical portion I9 snugly tted into the body I0 for guiding successive leads I4 from lthe body IS through an axial bore 20 in the middle portion I l of the guide member I 5 and into a cylindrical chamber 2l in the writing tip i3.'

A guide sleeve 22 is axially disposed within the chamber 2l in the writing tip I3 of the pencil for guiding the leads I 5 through the writing tip. This guide sleeve 22 abuts the middle portion I'l of the guide member I5, extends the entire length of the writing tip I3, and is secured within the chamber 2l by means of an annular stop member 23 having a portion 24 secured as by Welding on the guide sleeve 22 and an enlarged cylindrical portion 25 which abuts the end Wall 26 of the chamber 2 I,

A second, or operating sleeve 2l is slidably mounted on the guide sleeve 22, and has its forward end milled to form a pair of oppositely disposed jaws 28 integrally connected to the main body of the sleeve by flexible or springable portions or arms 29 whose outer sides 'I5 are inclined forwardly and radially-outwardly as shown in Figures 4 and 7. 'Ihe jaws 28 are thus movable, through oppositely disposed slots 30 in the guide sleeve 22, from their normally sprung position out of contact with a lead I4 within the guide sleeve 22 into gripping contact therebetween with said lead I4. The gripping surfaces of the jaws 28 are preferably serrated to insure a secure grip on the lead therebetween.

A third, or control sleeve 3| is slidably mounted on the operating sleeve 21 and has an enlarged cylindrical forward portion 32; which slidably bears within the cylindrical chamber 2| in the writing tip and which is adapted to engage the jaws 28 to force them together. The rearward end of the control sleeve 3| slidably bears within the annular portion IB of the guide member I5.

A control member or pin 33 has a head or button 34 which is positioned exteriorly of the writing tip I3 at the approximate location of the index flnger when the pencil is held in writing position (see Figure 1). The pin 33 is mounted in a plate 35 movable in a way 36 in the writing tip I3, and said pin extends through, and is longitudinally movable in, a slot 31 through the wall of the writin-g tip. The inner end of the pin 33 has a portion 38 threaded into an enlarged medial portion 39 of the control sleeve 3| and a stud 40 extending through a, slot 4| through the operating sleeve 21 and into a groove 42 in the guide sleeve 22.

A coil spring 43 is interposed between the annular portion I6 of the guide member I5 and the enlarged medial portion 39 of the control sleeve 3|.

Operation The parts of the control mechanism hereinbefore described are normally maintained in forward positions as seen in Figure 4 by the action of the coil spring 43. When it is desired to advance the lead I4 in the writing tip I3, the Eontrol button 34 is moved rearwardly by means of the index finger. 'I'he control sleeve 3| is thus moved rearwardly independently of the operating sleeve 21, and the forward cylindrical portion 32 of the control sleeve 3| is thus disengaged from the/jaws 28 which in turn are permitted to disengage the lead |4 as indicated in full lines in Figure '1. Further rearward movement of the pin 33 brings the stud 40 into contact with the rearward end of slot 4| in the operating sleeve 21 and thereafter the control sleeve 3l and operating sleeve 21 move rearwardly together until the stud 40 contacts the rearward end of groove 42 in the guide sleeve 22, whereupon rearward movement of the control button 34 is stopped.

When the control button 34 is released, the coil spring 43 presses the control sleeve 3| forwardly and independently of the operating sleeve 21 until the forward cylindrical portion 32 of the control sleeve engages the jaws 28 forcing the latter together to grip the lead I4 therebetween. Thereafter the control sleeve 3|, the operating sleeve 21, and the lead I4 are moved forwardly together by the action of the spring 43 until the jaws 28 engage and seat within the cylindrical portion 25 of the stop member 23, and the lead I4 is thus firmly held in its advanced position.

A lag thus occurs between the relative movements of control sleeve 3| and operating sleeve 21, which may be effected by various means as by making sleeve 21 t somewhat more tightly on guide sleeve 22 than sleeve 3| fits on sleeve 21 so that friction in the movement of sleeve 21. is greater than friction in the movement of sleeve 3|; furthermore, it will be seen that, in the forward movement of sleeve 3|, its medial portion 16 slides along the slightly-inclined rear portions of the arms 23 and increasingly presses them into Contact with guide sleeve 22 thus increasing the friction of sleeve 21 on the guide sleeve, and that thereafter the enlarged forward portion 32 of sleeve 3| reaching and sliding along the more steeply inclined forward portions of these arms forces the jaws 28 into their gripping engagement with the lead, whereupon the forward movement of sleeve 3l on and relatively to sleeve 21 is stopped or limited by reason of the inability of its hollow portion 32 to receive the inclined arms farther thereinto, and both sleeves 3| and 21 with the lead are moved forwardly together by the spring 43 until stopped by the stop member 23 whose enlarged hollow cylindrical portion 25 receives the forward ends of the jaws 28 and by engaging their forwardly and radially-inwardly inclined outer sides 11 forces or holds the jaws in gripping engagement with the lead additionally to, or independently of, the gripping action exerted by portion 32 of control sleeve 3I. While a pair of opposite arms and jaws, as shown may be preferable, a single arm and jaw may be employed.

The jaws 28 may either be pointed or serrated as shown to positively prevent any rearward slippage of the lead I4 therebetween. It will readily be seen that when undue pressure is applied at the point of the lead, the same will be forced slightly inwardly and with it the operating sleeve 21 and control sleeve 3|, against the pressure of spring 43. This limited resilience prevents wasteful breakage of the lead and also produces uniformness in writing, and the action is especially desirable in connection with thin lead which is superior for writing purposes but highly frangible.

It will be seen that in thus forcing the lead and the sleeves 21 and 3| rearwardly together, the inclined forward ends of the jaws are readily disengaged from the stop member 23, although the jaws remain in gripping engagement with the lead under the action of portion 32 of sleeve 3|. and that this rearward movement of sleeve 21 carries with it the control sleeve 3| held in its said forwardly-stopped position thereon, so that the pressure of the jaws on the lead is not increased in this rearward movement of the lead and the sleeves 21 and 3|, and the lead is not crushed or broken.

M odiflcatz'ons In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figures 8 to 10, inclusive, the manually operable control mechanism is similarly housed within a writing tip 50 screw-threaded into the forward end of a tubular barrel or body 5I. A guide member 52 similar to the guide member I5 previously described is screw-threaded into the rearward end of the writing tip 50. A guide sleeve 53 is xedly, axially disposed within the writing tip 58, extending from end to end of said tip and through a cylindrical chamber 54 therein. An operating sleeve 55 is slidably mounted on the guide sleeve 53 and has a laterally extending flange 56 at its forward end. A pair of oppositely disposed jaws 51 are pivotally mounted on pins 58 set in the flange 56. A control sleeve 59 is slidably mounted on the operating sleeve 55 and has a laterally extending flange 68 on its forward end, said flange 60 being provided with a pair of oppositely disposed apertures 6| therethrough, through which rearwardly extend curved arm portions 62 of the pivotally mounted jaws 51.

A control member or lever 63 is pivotally mounted on a pin 64 extending through the writand positioned for manipulation with the index linger. The lower portion of the control lever 63 within the chamber 54 is bifurcated to form arms 61 which extend into oppositely disposed X-shaped slots 68 through the control sleeve 59, through similar but larger X-shaped slots 69 through the operating sleeve 55, and into grooves in the guide sleeve 53. A coil spring 1| is interposed between the control sleeve 59 and the guide member 52.

In operation, the several parts of this modified structure are normally maintained in their forward positions shownI in solid lines in Figure 8 and in Figure 9, by the action of the coil spring 1|. When it is desired to advance the lead 1,2,

the control lever 63 is manually moved rearward-- ly. `The initial rearward movement of said lever 63 moves the control sleeve 59 rearwardly from its position shown in Figure 9 to its position shown in Figure 1'0, during which movement the arms 62 are engaged by the flange 60 on said control sleeve 59 and are turned thereby so that the jaws 51 are disengaged from the lead 12. Further rearward movement of the lever 63 engages its lever arms 61 with the X-shaped slots 69 in the operating sleeve 55, and thereafter the control lever 63, control sleeve 59 and operating sleeve 55 are moved rearwardly together to a position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 8, the rearward movement of the control lever 63 being stopped when its arms 61 engage the rearward ends of the grooves 10 in the guide sleeve 53.

When the control lever 63 is released, the coil spring 1| presses the control sleeve 59 forwardly independently of the operating sleeve 55 until the flange 60 engages arms 62 to turn the jaws 51 into gripping engagement therebetween of the lead 12, and thereafter the control sleeve 59, the operating sleeve 55 and the lead 12 are moved forwardly together until the forward movement is stopped by engagement of the jaws 51 with a washer 13 on the guide sleeve 53. If desired the washer 13 may be slightly forwardly tapered internallyto insure a rmer grip of the jaws 51 on the lead 12. As illustrated the jaws 51 are operable through oppositely disposed slots 14 through the guide sleeve 53.

AIn the modification of the invention shown in Figure 11, the construction and operation of the control mechanism are identical to that shown in Figures 1 to '1 inclusive and hereinbefore described, except that the oppositely disposed slots contain a plurality of leads, a writing tip associated with said bodyhaving a chamber therein and a slot through a wall thereof, a guide sleevel mounted in' said chamber for guiding leads from the body into and through said writing tip and having opposite slots therethrough and a groove therein, on said guide sleeve for forward-rearward movement thereon and provided with a pair of jaws movable through the slots in the guide sleeve into or out of gripping engagement with a lead in said guide sleeve and said operating sleeve having a slot therethrough,- a control sleeve slidably mounted on said operating sleeve for forward-rearward movement and having means -thereon formoving said jaws into gripping engagement with a lead in said guide during forward movement of the control sleeve, and a man'- ually operable control member mounted 'for forward-rearward movement in the writing tip and extending through the slot in said writing tip, said control member having a portion engaging the control sleeve and movable therewith and a portion movable in the slot in the operating sleeve and in the groove in the 2. In a mechanical contain a plurality of guide sleeve.

pencil, a body adapted to leads, a writing tip associated with said body having a chamber therein and a slot through a wall thereof', a guide sleeve mounted in said chamber for guiding said leads from the body into and through said writing tip and having a longitudinally extending curved slot therethrough, operating means movable in said curved slot for engaging a lead in the guide sleeve to rotate the lead and move the same forwardly,

, and a manually operable control member extending through the vslot in the writing tip and operably connected to said operating means for moving the same forwardly or rearwardly and into engagement with said lead.-

3. In a mechanical pencil, a body adapted to contain a plurality of leads, a writing tip associated with said body having achamber therein 301 in the guide sleeve 221 through which slots the jaws 281 of the operating sleeve 211 extend and in which slots said jaws travel, are slightly curved. It will be seen that when the lead |41 is gripped between the jaws 281 and advanced, said lead is slightly rotated as indicated by the arrow in this view, and the writing point of the lead is thus intermittently turned to insure evenness of wear thereon.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides an economical and attractive mechanical pencil of simple construction and operation, and while but several specific embodiments of the invention have been herein shown and described, it will be understood -that numerous details of construction thereof may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is dened by the following claims.

I claim: 1. In a mechanical pencil, a body adapted to -and'a slot through a Wall thereof, a guide sleeve mounted in said chamber for guiding said leads from the body into and through said writing tip and having a pair of opposite longitudinally extending curved slots therethrough, Van operating sleeve slidably mounted forward-rearward movement thereon and provided with a pair of jaws movable in the curved slots in the guide sleeve for gripping therebetween a lead in the guide sleeve/to rotate the lead and move the same forwardly, and a manually operable control member extending through the slot in the writing tip and operably connected to said operating sleeve for moving the same forwardly or rearwardly and for moving the jaws into gripping engagement with said lead.

4. In a mechanical pencil, a body adapted to contain a plurality of leads, a writing tip associated with said body having a chamber therein and a slot through a wall thereof, operating means disposed in said chamber for advancing leads from said body into and through said writing tip, a control member extending through said slot for manually actuating said operating means, and said operating means including a guide for rotating the leads as the same are advanced.

5. In a mechanical pencil of the class described which includes a hollow body and a guide therein. means for moving a lead longitudinally in the guide, said means comprising an operating sleeve having a limited movement on the guide and forwardly and radially-outwardly inclined flexible an operating sleeve slidably mounted on said guide sleeve for which includes a hollow body and a guide therein,

means for moving a lead longitudinally in the guide, said means comprising an operating sleeve having a limited movement on the guide and a forwardly and radially-outwardly inclined ilexible arm with a lead-gripping jaw adjacent its free end, a control sleeve having a limited forward movement on the operating sleeve and having means for engaging and moving the arm into gripping engagement of its jaw With the lead and having a manual reverse movement for releasing the arm to permit disengagement of its jaw from the lead and having means for engaging the operating sleeve to move the same rearwardly, and a spring normally urging the control sleeve forwardly.

'1. In a mechanical pencil of the class described which includes a hollow body and a guide therein, means for moving a lead longitudinally in the guide, said means comprising an operating sleeve.

having a limited movement on the guide and a 1 forwardly and radially-outwardly inclined flexible arm With a lead-gripping jaw adjacent its free end, a control sleeve having a limited forward movement on the operating sleeve and having means for engaging and moving the arm into gripping engagement of its jaw with the lead and having a manual reverse movement for releasing the arm to permit disengagement of its jaw from the lead and having means for engaging the operating sleeve to move the same rearwardly, a spring normally urging the control sleeve forwardly, and means for creating a lag between the movement of said sleeves.

8. In a mechanical pencil of the class described which includes a hollow body and a guide therein, means for moving a lead longitudinally in the guide, said means comprising an operating sleeve having a limited movement on the guide and a forwardly and radially-outwardly inclined nexible arm with a lead-gripping jaw adjacent its free end, and a control sleeve having a limited forward movement on the operating sleeve and having means for engaging and moving the arm into gripping engagement of its jaw with the lead and having a manual reverse movement for releasing the arm to permit disengagement of its jaw from the lead and having means for engaging the operating sleeve to move the same rearwardly.

9. In a mechanical pencil of the class described which includes a hollow body and a guide therein, means for moving a lead longitudinally in the guide, said means comprising an operating sleeve having a limited movement on the guide and a forwardly and radially-outwardly inclined springable arm with a lead-gripping jaw adjacent its free end, a control sleeve having a limited forward movement on the operating sleeve and havlng means for engaging and springing the arm into gripping engagement of its jaw with the lead and having a manual reverse movement for releasing the arm to permit disengagement of its i jaw from the lead and having means for engaging the operating sleevel to move the same rearwardly, and a spring normally urging the control sleeve forwardly.

10. In a mechanical pencil of the class described which includes a hollow body and a guide therein, means for moving a lead longitudinally in' the guide, said means comprising an operating sleeve having a limited movement on the guide and a forwardly and radially-outwardly inclined flexible arm with a lead-gripping jaw adjacent its free end, a control sleeve having a limited forward movement on the operating sleeve and having-means for engaging and moving the arm into gripping engagement of its Jaw with the lead and having a vmanual reverse movement for rey leasing the arm to permit disengagement of its jaw from the lead and having means for engaging the operating sleeveto move the same rearwardly, and a spring normally urging the control.

sleeve forwardly, the lead gripped by the jaw being movable rearwardly with the sleeves by excess pressure on the leads forward end and Without increasing the jaw's pressure on the lead.

11. In a mechanical pencil of the class described which includes a hollow body and a guide therein, means for moving a lead longitudinally in the guide. said means comprising an operating sleeve having a limited movement on the guide and a forwardly and radially-outwardly inclined flexible arm with a lead-gripping jaw adjacent its free end, a control sleeve having a limited forward movement on the operating sleeve for pressing its arm inwardly into braking engagement with said guide and for pressing the arm into gripping engagement of its Jaw with the lead and having a manual reverse movement for releasing the arm to permit disengagement of its jaw from the lead and releasing the arms friction on the operating sleeve and having means for engaging the operating sleeve to move the same rearwardly, and a spring normally urging the control sleeve forwardly.

12. In a mechanical pencil of the class described which includes a hollow body and a guide therein, means for moving a lead longitudinally in the guide, said means comprising an operating sleeve having a limited movement on the guide and a forwardly and radially-outwardly inclined flexible arm with a lead-gripping jaw adjacent its free end, a control sleeve having a limited forward movement on the operating sleeve for pressing its arm inwardly into braking engagement with said guide and for pressing the arm into gripping engagement of its jaw with the lead and having a manual reverse movement for releasing the arm to permit disengagement of its jaw from the lead and releasing the arms friction on the operating sleeve and having means for engaging the operating sleeve to move the same rearwardly, a spring normally urging the control sleeve forwardly, and means for creating a lag between movement of said sleeves.

13. In a mechanical pencil of the class described which includes a hollow body and a guide therein, means for moving a lead in the guide longitudinally and rotatably said means comprising an element adapted to releasably grip the lead and having an operative helical movement along and about the axis thereof.

14. In a mechanical pencil of the class described which includes a hollow body and a guide therein, means for moving a lead longitudinally in the guide, said means comprising an operating sleeve having a limited movement on the guide and forwardiy and raaiauyoutwardiy inclined nexible arms with forwardly and radially-inwardly inclined free ends and lead-gripping jaws adjacent said ends, a control sleeve having a, limited forward movement on the operating sleeve, a stop 5 member in the forward portion of the body for limiting the forward movement of the operating sleeve and for engaging the free ends of the arms thereof to move the same radially-inwardly into 

